Protecting a Vital Workforce: Legal Immigrants and the Future of Childcare

COMMENTARY
By J. Glenn Hopkins, President/CEO, Hopkins House

U.S. childcare relies heavily on legal immigrant workers — nearly 22% of childcare professionals nationwide are foreign-born, compared with just 8% across all occupations. In major cities like New York and Los Angeles, that percentage exceeds 40%, underscoring the indispensable role immigrant workers play in sustaining the childcare infrastructure our economy depends on.

Here in Virginia, the trend is just as clear: according to data from the Migration Policy Institute, more than 1 in 5 early childhood educators in the Commonwealth are foreign-born, many of whom are women of color. At Hopkins House, more than half of our early childhood educators are legal immigrants. They are central to our mission, contributing deeply to the nurturing and educational development of the young scholars we serve.

However, this vital workforce is under threat. Research from the Hechinger Report, Barron’s, and the Center for American Progress reveals that restrictive immigration policies — such as visa delays, deportation fears, and the rollback of protections for DACA recipients — have already destabilized parts of the childcare sector. The results are real: provider shortages, rising tuition costs for families, and decreasing enrollment in licensed programs due to educator attrition.

At Hopkins House, we are committed to protecting our immigrant employees and the families they serve. Under our Policy on “Protecting Students, Families & Staff Amid Federal Immigration Policy Changes”, we affirm that all staff and students — regardless of immigration status — are welcome and supported. We’ve implemented practical measures including legal support referrals, staff training on rights and due process, and proactive family outreach during enforcement actions to ensure our classrooms remain safe spaces for learning and growth.

By actively supporting legal immigrant staff, we protect not just livelihoods, but the very foundation of early education in our region. When the immigrant workforce thrives, so does the quality, stability, and affordability of childcare in Northern Virginia. At Hopkins House, we are proud to stand with our educators — because their future is our community’s future.